Alleged Drug Dealing Duo in Bristol Busted By Bensalem PD

A Bristol Township duo accused drug dealing are now in custody thanks to work of two Bensalem Police detectives.

Sherrie Martindell, 26, of Bristol, was arraigned before District Court Judge Michael Burns on September 11 and her partner Harry Amareld, 32, also of Bristol, was arraigned  Monday morning by District Court Judge Joanne Kline on a slew of drug related offenses.

Amareld had been arrested in May by Bensalem officers Greg Smith and Joe Gansky. The arrest came in connected to the execution of a search warrant on April 22, according to online court records. The warrant is the foundation for new charges filed against the alleged drug dealing duo.

The prior case was dismissed on August 6th,  according to online court records.

According to the probable cause affidavit, Smith and Gansky executed a search warrant at an apartment at 7200 Marion Avenue.

Both suspects were present when investigators arrived for the search, according to court documents.

The search revealed, according to authorities:

• 111 bags of heroin (2.35 grams)
• 5.3 grams of methamphetamine,
• needles, scales, baggies and pipes
• Undisclosed amount of  U.S currency in the apartment.

Investigators field tested the alleged heroin and it came back positive. Alleged drugs found on the premises were sent to the Bucks County Crime Lab where they tested positive as schedule two narcotics, according to court documents.

Amareld and Martindell  were transported to Bensalem police headquarters for questioning, court documents reveal. The two were interviewed separately.

Amareld said he sold drugs from his apartment for about the last month, moreover admitting he had a little more than 10 daily customers he sold to, according to authorities.  The Bristol man told authorities he sells the narcotics to pay for rent, food and other daily expenses. Amareld  told police, according to court documents, that he makes $500 to $700 dealing the drugs  and admitted that he was selling $10 bags of heroin from the apartment.

Amareld has prior convictions for drug related offenses related to personal use of illicit substances in Bucks County for which he is on probation for currently.

Martindell told detectives the apartment was being used basically as a “stash house” where individuals would drop off the potently addictive drugs so she could get back up on her feet. She stated further that she made $400 to$600 a week selling the narcotics. She also has convictions related to illegal drugs for personal use, according to online court documents and an arrest for simple assault recently.

Martindale pleaded guilty to misdemeanor drug charges in January and was sentenced to 12  months of probation, online court records show.

Martindell, Bensalem Police wrote in court documents, said she was serving  three customers generally, and a man named “Rob” would arrange meets with people at the apartment he fronted. She told police she was unsure as to exact amount of narcotics that were in the apartment at the time, but said a recent purchase of 17 bundles of  heroin cost $650, according to court documents.

Martindell went on to describe for investigators how she went about breaking down drugs into various weights for sale, authorities wrote in court papers.

Morrisville District Court Judge  Michael Burns arraigned Martindell and  her bail set at 10 percent of $50,ooo. She is currently behind bars awaiting her preliminary hearing set for September 23 in front of Burns, court documents say.

Amareld’s bail was set at 10 percent of $25,000 by Klien, and according to online court documents, is in violation of his probation for a previously noted drug offense. He put behind bars and is scheduled to appear in front of the Bristol Township Judge on  September 24.

The alleged dealing duo are charged with 9 drug distribution offenses each, including four felonies for manufacturing and conspiracy.

Editor’s Note: All individuals arrested or charged with a crime are presumed innocent until proven guilty. The story was compiled using information from police and public court documents.